Sekirei Protector
by Nikon Asturias
Summary: Kurosaki Ichigo is in his final year of University. He prepares to enter the career world when the game of a madman decides to enter into his. With his own abilities, he makes his own impact. The ripples can bring the focus of his current enemy and former allies.
1. First Wing

_**I own nothing and make no profit from this. Bleach, Sekirei, and any other licensed material belong to their respective owners. Please Support the official release.**_

 _My name is Kurosaki Ichigo._

 _I'm twenty-two years old._

 _I attend Shinto Teito University. I'm in my fourth year; I'm a dual-major in Literature and Philosophy with a minor in English._

 _I used to be a Substitute Shinigami when I was younger but now I don't know what you call me. A hybrid would be a start but that doesn't matter now, since nobody but me knows._

 _Well, only one other person did until recently._

 _My life got a lot more complicated and this was how._

 _I._

One late afternoon, in the city of Shinto Teito, once known as Tokyo, a man was walking down the street. He was above average in height at six foot one, and was wearing a black sweatshirt and a pair of blue jeans. His hands were buried inside the pockets of his pants and his hood was up, along with his face aiming towards the ground. He always tried to be inconspicuous with how he dressed. Attention was something he wanted to avoid. He had more than enough in his life and was tired of it. In grade school his hair caused him problems because it was different. Not many people had his shade. The only other person he knew with orange hair was his mother. When he was a teenager he had to deal with punks trying to fight him, now that he was a man he had to deal with people thinking he was apart of the Yakuza, despite being a college student with almost perfect grades, and it did not stop annoying him. Still, this was apart of everyday life for one Kurosaki Ichigo.

Ichigo was supposed to be meeting with two friends for lunch. One Asano Keigo, a friend he had from high school. They met in middle school and kept up their friendship through thick and thin. The mean looking fighter and the scrawny screamer were good friends in the end. Still, Keigo had to get a good thump on the head once in awhile. Ichigo, despite losing the prudish nature from being a teenager, was not some pervert obsessed with naked women. There was a time and a place for that. It certainly wasn't on a bus in public.

The other friend at the restaurant was Sahashi Minato. He was youngest of the three, turning nineteen in September and was trying to get accepted to the same University that Ichigo and Keigo were attending, Shinto Teito University. He was, however, considered a Ronin, a student trapped in the limbo between college and high school. Minato had failed the first college entrance examine he had taken and failed miserably, as a result he had taken the cram course to prepare for a make-up exam. That's when he met them.

One day, after lunch in the Student Union, Ichigo and Keigo found Minato, sitting alone and crying. Not that it was a terrible thing. The sight of a young man crying in public was just not something that common, unless a person were on a college campus. They sat down and talked to him. He was a rōnin student, working on entering the university. He had just failed the exam for the spring semester. Ichigo told him to stop crying and they would make sure he passed the exam for the fall semester. Neither of them made it easy for Minato, they pushed him to his limit, Ichigo often used his scowl to intimidate him and keep him from doubting himself, despite the being unintentional, and Keigo, who would get sidetracked and read his magazines. Other times he would show them off to Minato and make him uncomfortable. It was like he never saw a woman naked before, not even in a movie. The antics only justified Ichigo hitting his pervert for a friend.

 _I hope Minato didn't panic again._ Ichigo knew their rōnin friend was smart and capable but he just suffered from anxiety. It was more common than people liked to think. He remembered in high school that more than a handful of the higher ranked students suffered from the same symptoms of jumped nerves. Sometimes they would skip meals or refuse to sleep for a few days, just to pass a single quiz without any errors. All the while they panicked and worried about their grade, until the sheet was in front of them again with the teacher's red pen marks telling them they did get those perfect scores. He was never like that and he helped to make sure Minato would stop.

A few blocks away from the restaurant, Ichigo's music stopped playing in his ears and he felt his pants begin to vibrate. He pulled out his phone and saw who was calling. He was greeted by the name of a friend across the screen. "What's up, Keigo," he asked. Time was not an issue; he had at least another thirty minutes until they would wonder where he was. Plenty of time.

"Where are you, Ichigo," Keigo whined over the phone. He might have been older now, but he still kept his little quirks. Whining and obsession of the female body were the two. "You're going to be late! We've been waiting here for you, forever! We'll be old men by the time you get here!"

"Keigo," Ichigo sighed. He was doing a breathing exercise, something he picked up since he moved to the Shinto Teito. He took in two deep breaths and let out two loud exhales. "Are you making a scene at the restaurant? I'm not even there yet." _Not that it's any better to make one even when I get there._

"But Ichigo! Hurry up! Our food will get cold while we wait for you, or it won't even be here at all." Ichigo heard weak protests, obviously Minato but then his eyes narrowed.

"Keigo, I swear, if you guys ditch me I'll-" He was cut off by the sound of the call disconnecting. He kept his eyes forward. He hung up on him, again. Oh, he was going to get even with him. _I always do._

When the music came back on Ichigo rushed across the street and the four blocks separating him from the restaurant were nothing more than a memory. The restaurant, that was Keigo's idea, he said it was nothing fancy. There was good food, good atmosphere, good servings, and the price wasn't too expensive. An ideal restaurant from what Keigo told him, until he walked in.

The waitresses were dressed in maid outfits. Correction, it was not a restaurant. The place was a maid café. Not the place he wanted to dine at.

 _Damnit Keigo, this is the last time I let you pick where we eat._ He threw off his hood and walked towards the hostess as she talked to two of the servers, who walked off before they all greeted him. He didn't like being called master. The hostess was short with long black hair and a cute face. "Hey, I'm here for a party of three, my two friends are waiting for me already."

"Oh," she answered. She looked a little intimidated by him. _It's not like I try to do this._ Ichigo did not like how almost every new person he met was intimidated by his appearance. His orange hair was natural, his scowl wasn't permanent and his beard didn't make him look like an evil warlord from the feudal era.

Ichigo found out he was fond of facial hair in his second year when he started to have to shave everyday to keep a clean face. He was tired of constantly buying razors, which added up to costs, along with all the little cuts every time he shaved that he decided to let his facial hair grow and see how it made him look. It earned his favor immediately.

The beard wasn't thick or really long but it was evenly trimmed and kept at a manageable level so it wouldn't itch or become a burden. It was also easy to shave off whenever he went back home. He didn't want his dad to find out he liked facial hair too; it would make him a hypocrite and start another one of their 'epic showdowns' and his dad complaining about the cruelty of his son.

"It's natural, my mother's side of the family." The scowl faded and he put on a calm face. Ichigo had been doing it less and less since he graduated high school. He pushed out the bangs over and away from his eyes. "And I'm not a Yakuza. I'm a fourth year at Shinto Teito and I'm studying to be a translator."

"Oh, I didn't-"

"It's fine," he interrupted. He didn't want or need her apology. "I'm used to it. So, where are my friends at?"

"Oh, right," the girl turned around and pointed at the far end of the restaurant. He could see Keigo and Minato sitting in a booth together, both seemed animated in conversation. "They're over there waiting for you."

"Thanks," Ichigo walked over to them and didn't hear what the hostess said afterwards. Not that he cared what she had to say. She was no one to him.

His friends didn't seem to notice him and he took advantage of that. When he was within arms reach, he exacted his revenge. His fist dropped against Keigo's skull and stunned him, for only a second. He didn't hit him hard, just did it enough to get his attention.

"Ow," Keigo cried out. Both of his hands went to the top of his skull as he exaggerated. "Ichigo, why did you hit me?"

"You know why, Keigo. Besides, it was more of a tap than anything." Ichigo said. He sat down across from his friend. He had grown up since they first met. He was boyish once but now he liked a man. His voice wasn't so loud and youthful like it had been but had gotten deeper and mature. It still didn't stop him from acting like a kid, though. Some habits died hard. His hair was evenly slicked and combed back. He stopped keeping it wild and uncombed after his first year when he went to a party at one of the dorms. All Ichigo knew of the situation was that a girl was involved and Keigo heard she liked clean cut guys. He fixed himself up and asked her out afterwards. They dated for a year before their relationship ended, he said she was crazy but kept the hair. He claimed to have invested too much into it to just shave it off. The Balbo was something of his own. He wanted to look like the guy who played Iron Man; he thought it was a cool beard. Keigo was dressed in his grey three-piece suit with a red tie. It was obvious he had just gotten back from his internship.

"A tap for you is a death blow for me, Ichigo," Keigo said. Although he acted like he was in pain, he was smiling. That was an inside joke for them at this point.

"Yeah, whatever," Ichigo turned his head to their younger counterpart. "Hey, Minato, what's up?"

"Ichigo-san," Minato said. "Hello." He didn't look like anything special. He was a plain looking guy with a slim built, black hair, and grey eyes. He wore the same jean jacket he everyday, it was a wonder if he ever washed it. Underneath it was a dark blue t-shirt with a white emblem in the middle of a videogame he played. He was a few inches shorter than Ichigo.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Minato? Just call me Ichigo. I hate all this honorific stuff." He reached for a glass of water in the middle of the table. They at least ordered him something to drink.

"Sorry, Ichigo." Minato corrected. He smiled as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Sometimes I forget."

He scoffed. "So, did you guys order anything?" Ichigo reached out for a menu and looked it over. "Or did you already eat without me?"

"Come on, Ichigo," Keigo sounded genuinely offended. "You know I wouldn't do that. We just ordered some drinks. You like chocolate shakes, right?"

 _Of course, I do._ It was something he indulged in from time to time, a guilty pleasure. "Sometimes, I take it that's what you got me?" He was glad to know that someone still had his back.

"Yeah," his friend confirmed. He reached for the water in front of him before cracking a smile. "Hey, so you're not going to believe this, we got some pretty cool servers." Ichigo knew that grin. _Not again_ , did he know it. Keigo had that look when they were at a concert last year at the Tokyo Dome, which had still kept its name unlike the city. A metal band from Iowa was playing to a sold out crowd and they happened to be towards the back, but were still able to hear it pretty well without risking permanent ear damage. Then Keigo noticed a few, as he called them, babes standing a little ways away from them. They had short skirts and tight shirts that complimented their busts, they looked a little older than them but that did not deter Keigo at all. He said it was a sure thing, talk to them and get their names and bam, two dates for after the show. So, they walked over, more like Ichigo watched him go as he waited for the inevitable slap and cry of pervert. He was surprised when his friend actually talked to them and they wound up spending the rest concert with two women and having a great time.

Keigo ended up going home with the one who had the short black hair and Ichigo had gone home with the one that reminded him of his old boss, Ikumi. They had the same hair, in length and color. The next morning he had breakfast with her and her parents before they exchanged numbers and he promised to call her, which he quickly changed. Apparently, one date and sex to this girl meant a life long pledge of love and babies. It was safe to say he never called Mei and Keigo never called her friend again.

That was why Ichigo didn't trust that look. The deviant was thinking about getting them a date. "No," he said. "I don't care. I'm just here to eat and to congratulate Minato on a job well-done." He turned to his friend who was nervously drinking from his water. "What's wrong, Minato?"

"Nothing," he squeaked. "Nothing's wrong." He was sweating. Something was.

"Minato, what did Keigo do?" Ichigo was trying no to get mad. Really, he wasn't. He was just trying to get a simple answer from his friend, before he pummeled his other friend into the ground.

"He didn't…he didn't…do-"

"Minato," Keigo said. He scream whispered. It was like he was the devil on a person's shoulder when they were conflicted about something. "Don't tell him anything. Don't tell him anything." He waved his arms frantically. So there was obviously something happening. Ichigo just didn't know what. He didn't like that.

"Keigo," he asked. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything, Ichigo, well," he looked to the side. A shadow seemed to outline his friend. "At least not yet, anyway."

"Keigo," Ichigo was prepared to lunge but was interrupted by a new voice.

"Are you all ready to order now?"

He looked to his left and watched as a tall slender woman standing next to them with a tray in hand. She had long black hair that diverted into twin ponytails, strands of hair cascaded along her cheeks from her forehead. She was wearing a red maid outfit with a collar and red bowtie. Her hazel eyes were fixed on to him.

"Can we get a few minutes," Ichigo said. While he may not be outwardly shown it but he was stunned by the woman in front of him, she was beautiful. It was a real feat, since his life had an overabundance of attractive women. A good part of the time they threw themselves at him, much to his shame and embarrassment. "I just got here and haven't had a chance to really look through the menu."

"Of course," she replied. "Here are your drinks." She handed Keigo an orange soda and Minato a cola. "And this is yours." The waitress then put down a glass in front of Ichigo; it was a strawberry soda. _Why am I not surprised?_ "I'll be back in a few minutes, and my name's Hibiki, I'll be your waitress today."

"Thanks, Hibiki," Ichigo replied. "My name is Ichigo." He watched her smirk at him before he took a look at his drink. His eyes narrowed at the glass before their focus returned to her.

"Strawberry," she smiled before walking away.

"He who protects," he whispered. Everyone always called him that. He wasn't a named after a fruit. He was a protector and that's why he had the name but that was never the case. _Why do I even bother anymore?_ Ichigo was so distracted by his thoughts that he didn't notice until he felt something flick against his face. He wiped away the liquid before looking at Keigo, who was smiling at him. "What?"

"Nothing," the smirk on his face said otherwise. It was like the Cheshire cat. "Aren't you happy we came here now? You just couldn't keep your eyes off her, could you?" He already knew the answer to that question. His happy tone was evident of that.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ichigo stuck his face back into his menu. _The chicken sandwich sounds good, but so does the American Bacon Cheeseburger. She sure was pretty…Damnit I didn't stare._ "Did you guys already decided on what you're getting?"

"Yeah," Minato said. He rejoined their conversation after his absence. "I'm just getting the rice and curry."

"I'm getting a sandwich. They fed us at M.B.I. today, so I'm a little full," Keigo added. He had been working at M.B.I. since last December as an intern, at first it was for his degree, him being a medical engineering major. Ichigo still didn't know what he did there exactly; M.B.I. had him sign a non-disclosure agreement before he was even allowed an interview. _It's all a part of the plan_ , Keigo had told him that was something the chairman of M.B.I. Hiroto Minaka said to him as he was inaugurated with the other interns.

Sometimes at the university teachers would tell the students that Minaka was already on his way to the good life before he had even graduated. He made his first billion, the European Standard, before he was twenty-five. Ichigo felt that it was not fair to compare all the students to that man. _No of us are the same,_ he remembered when a professor said that to him and he told him off, _some of us don't even want to end up like that._ He still had no idea what the man had meant, he figured he was a little on the crazy end. Ichigo was inclined to agree with that. Money had a track record for the insane.

"So, what did they feed you guys?" Ichigo knew all the agreement said was that an employee couldn't share what his or her work was with the company. There was nothing in the clause that said he couldn't tell people what they ate. It was all they could share.

"Something from France, my supervisor was feeling up for something fancy." Keigo felt like that was a good enough answer, but it wasn't.

"Are you serious," Ichigo swallowed his annoyance.

"Yeah," his friend shrugged before sipping his soda. "What are you gonna do? So," his smirk returned. "What did you think of the waitress?"

Ichigo did not even try to hold back his groan. "Seriously? We're eating here, Keigo, I'd like it if my food didn't have any spit in it." That was a recipe for disaster. An untold amount of horrors could be brought down on to the trio if Keigo tried to flirt with their waitress, or push Ichigo to do it. That would not benefit anyone at all, especially Ichigo.

"Come on, Ichigo," his friend chuckled. "She's cute, real cute. What's wrong with talking to her, who knows, you might even get her phone number."

"No," Ichigo told him but that wasn't the end of it. He knew his friend would bring it up again, only a matter of when.

He turned focus back to Minato. "Come on, Minato, tell me how your test went. I want to know the hours we invested into you studying didn't go to waste."

That was how the rest of their time went. The conversation jumped from one to the other. They talked about their plans for the weekend; Minato was going back home to visit his sister and his grandmother. He said she was in her last year of high school and was already applying for colleges. He didn't know which ones she sent applications to but he was hoping she got into the one she wanted. Karin and Yuzu were in a similar situation.

 _I should call them and see how they're doing._ It had been three weeks since he called his sisters and it was about time for him to call them again. He'd made sure to bring up their college applications.

Keigo talked about how he needed to finish his term project. He never really went into details about it but he was very focused on seeing it finished. _It's like it's going to be the greatest thing for mankind,_ Ichigo silently mused. He hoped his friend found what he wanted from it. Half the time they spent together was spent with Keigo drawing designs in his notebook and muttering about how he wasn't finished. It really was a sight to see him so focused on his work.

 _It's sure made our game nights easier_ , Ichigo thought to himself. He actually managed to start beating Keigo at those old fighting games on their Saturday Game Nights. Not that he let his friend win, it was just that he had developed a better understanding of the game and knew all the ins and outs. That was it. He was not terrible at it in the slightest.

"What about you, Ichigo," Keigo said, while sipping a cup of coffee. They were sharing a plate of dango between them. It was Hanami. Despite it being out of season, since that was in April and now they were in the beginning of June, this restaurant served them year round. The sweets were warm and melted on the tongue. "What do you got planned?"

"I'm just going to keep up my routine," Ichigo answered. He set his coffee aside and stretched his arms over his head. "Gym, work, and finish up my paper."

"That Shakespeare paper, right," Keigo asked. He finished his last piece of dango and tossed the empty stick on the equally empty plate. He made a few faces with his jaw after he did.

"Yeah," Ichigo replied with a groan. It wasn't that he disliked the assignment. He didn't. He found it to be fun.

The topic was to compare and contrast two works of Shakespeare, and then find a fictional piece that was influenced by it. Ichigo was doing his paper on Macbeth and King Lear, two of Shakespeare's best tragedies. He already finished the compare and contrast between the two plays. All he had to do was finish with the part of the assignment that dealt with fictional piece that was later influenced by it. He did not have to look far. "I'm going to watch Ran and Throne of Blood over the weekend and finish my paper by Sunday and have it proofread by Tuesday." He shrugged his shoulders. "Not a big deal."

"That's good," Keigo said. He lifted his wrist and looked at his watch. His eyes widened and his cheeks bulged as he let out a large puff of air. "I don't want to sound like an ass, but I gotta go. It's getting late and my train leaves in like thirty minutes."

Ichigo looked at his watch and saw that it was already past seven, almost eight. They spent more than two hours there.

"Oh no," Minato piped in. He looked frantic and shut his phone faster than Ichigo could blink. "My bus leaves in ten minutes! I'll never make it in time!" He reached for his coat and threw it over his shoulder before reaching for his wallet.

"Let it go," Ichigo said. He looked at his friend. "I got your part of the check. Go on, go catch your bus."

The rōnin paused. "You sure? I don't-"

"Catch your bus before I change my mind."

"Thanks, Ichigo," Minato looked relieved. Then dread set in. "I'm going to miss my bus." He made his way through the dinner rush before he disappeared into the street.

The two remnants shook their heads at their younger friend before getting ready to leave themselves. That was when their waitress approached them. "Here's your check," Hibiki smiled. Ichigo noticed that she seemed a little clammy as she approached them. Her eyes locked with his for a second before they darted away. He didn't understand why. He was nothing but friendly to her during the entire meal. She jumped into their conversation from time to time. She even burned Keigo a few times when she brushed off his attempts to flirt. Now that was something else. _Sometimes it's just like that._ People have a tendency to change their opinions often and promptly.

He told off Keigo before he could put down any money and handed Hibiki his card. He figured the meal would be on him today. It wasn't like the bill would put him in the red. _It'd take a lot more than a dinner tab._ Ichigo watched her go and felt his friend's grin through the back of his head.

"You should give her your number, Ichigo," he smiled. "I'd think she like that." He grabbed his phone and shoved it along with his wallet back into his pocket. "It doesn't hurt to ask."

"Shut up, Keigo," Ichigo returned. "Don't you have a train to catch?"

"Yeah, but we're heading in the same direction," he countered as he buttoned his jacket. "I'll walk with you, at least until I get to the station."

They sat in silence for a few minutes for Hibiki to give him his receipt so he could sign off on it.

"Here you go," Hibiki smiled when she came back. It seemed a little forced and she didn't look too well. "Thank you, have a good night." She rushed off, almost jogging away.

"She doesn't look too good." Keigo commented. "Maybe it was something she ate?"

"It happens," Ichigo said more to himself. He signed the receipt and left "Come on, let's get out of here."

He had his hood back on as he walked alongside his friend. It was about five blocks to the subway for Keigo and about twelve for Ichigo to his bus stop. Not that he minded. He could just walk home if he wanted. _Two hours or forty five minutes_ , it didn't matter to him. _I got all the time in the world._

"So, what did you think," Keigo asked. They were already a block away from the restaurant. "Cute right?"

Ichigo decided to humor him. "Yeah," he answered. "She was, so what?"

"You going to go back and get her number?" The question was obvious. "I think you should, but that's just me. Mister Tall and Gloomy and Miss Cute and Tall seems like a match made in heaven if I ever saw one. The pun was intended by the way."

Ichigo could only shake his head. His friend was rather persistent. "Maybe," he said. "I'll have to think about it."

"Well, don't think about it too long, someone might get her before you do. You can't stay single forever, Ichigo. It's not healthy." Keigo looked to the stairs that lead to his stop. Ichigo hadn't even realized they were already there. "I guess this is my stop, I'll see you later dude. Don't forget what I said!" The last part echoed as he climbed up the steps, when Ichigo had walked away.

He thought of what Keigo said but shook it off. He continued down the street, his headphones back in his ears, blaring the music from an Iowa metal band with an obsession for masks. He listened to their Anthem as he made his way home. Sometimes Keigo would just say things that stuck with him. He was a good friend like that. _The last one I got left._

In the last few years, since the Aizen and the Winter War, Ichigo had lost most of them. It just happened. It was just life. He didn't want the pity anymore. Most of the friends he had left in school just pitied him. It was in their eyes. It was in their body language. It was the way they had a tendency to avoid him almost all the time. That was during high school. College was another story.

They all went their own way.

Ishida went to a school in America to get his medical degree. He remembered his dad telling him about that during the graduation ceremony. It was some private school over on the East coast. It sounded like he was more proud of him than his own son. Ichigo never told him how much it hurt. He just didn't want to be a doctor. He had seen more than his fair share of blood and insides. He didn't need to do that for a living. _Isshin's like that._

Chad went off to Spain. He mentioned he had a cousin there who had an open spot in his band. They were popular there and he wanted Chad to fill in the void. He was pretty good with the bass. They talked over the phone from time to time. He, like Ishida, hadn't seen Ichigo since graduation.

Inoue went off to some culinary school. He didn't know where, he never asked, and she never told him. He just happened to hear it from Tatsuki. The Second Strongest Girl in Japan took up Sports Medicine at Nippon Sports Science University. There was nothing out of the usual with that. The last time he saw them was by accident at a movie theater. It was an awkward conversation. It ended up with him being punched by Tatsuki and Orihime running away, like she did during high school, unable to talk to him for more than breath. He hadn't heard from them since.

Mizurio went off to China. He kept up with Ichigo the most, other than Keigo. He would join in with them for their game nights when he could. They'd play online together or talk over the phone. He never got into too much detail with what he did there and Ichigo never asked. It wasn't his business. _There are some things you don't ask._

Those were all the friends he had through school. The others proved they were just acquaintances, at best.

Still, it didn't bother him now like it did then. Ichigo got over it and he moved on. There was nothing else he could do about it, not unless he wanted to attract any attention. He didn't need anymore of that and it was partially why he never dated or had a girlfriend, really. There were a few of his classmates that he had gone on dates with.

The first girl he dated was from his English course in his second semester. She was from Okinawa and was a bit of a stutterer. They went on six dates. Another was a Sendai girl in his Technology in Philosophy class. She was two years older than him. It was ended on mutual terms after the tenth date. Those were the only girls Ichigo himself to of really dated. The rest were just study sessions or coffee. It never bothered him, but it did bother Keigo.

 _He really is persistent about me getting a girlfriend._ Ichigo had to commend his friend for that. Most people would have given up by that point but he didn't.

"Just ask her if she's seeing anyone," Keigo said at the restaurant. Halfway through their meal he nagged Ichigo to ask out their hot waitress, as he so eloquently called her. "What's the harm in that?"

"Other than food poisoning?"

"That's besides the point, Ichigo!"

Still, he never did ask her. He doubted he ever would. Hibiki had probably overheard them and probably blacklist them. A total stranger trying to hit on her was probably something she dealt with everyday and he didn't want to be one of those guys. It wasn't who he was.

On the way home, Ichigo made sure to stop by the convenient store. _I need some cigarettes and I need a six-pack. I'll figure out what to get when I get there._ He wasn't a big smoker and he wasn't a big drinker either, it was more of a stress reliever when he needed it. Sometimes he had hard times sleeping or just getting through the day, an after effect of the Winter War, along with a few other details and revelations.

Ichigo learned everything that day. From all the lies he had lived with and all the times he was used as a chess piece. Kisuke, Yoruichi, and even his dad used him. The Gotei Thirteen was no different. He just tried not to think about it.

When Ichigo got to the convenient store he decided to get a pack of Seven Stars. He liked the fact they didn't burn his nose like the other brands. It was easier for him to smoke. He grabbed a random six-pack from the back. He wasn't feelingly particularly picky. Anything would do.

"Thanks," Ichigo said to the clerk, a small old woman. She gave him a disapproving look when she saw the beer but didn't comment. "Have a good night."

She said something to him but he didn't hear it. He was already gone and made his way down the street. The sooner he got home the better. He might even start one of those movies when he got back. He hadn't decided yet.

Halfway down the road, Ichigo felt like he was being watched. Even without his powers, his fighting instincts never left him. They were beaten into him until he died, and they would stay with him after. He stopped for a cigarette to not draw any suspicion that he knew he was being followed. The light from the zippo kissed his face for a moment.

"Fuck," he turned his head around but didn't see anyone around. It made sense, considering it was late and most people had probably gone to bed. Still, there was someone following him, he knew it, he just didn't see him. Ichigo would just have to draw them out in that case.

He made his way towards an alley, just a short way down the road. It would mean taking the longer way back home but to him it didn't matter. There was nothing that needed him there. No curfew, no dinner, no family. The building was where he slept and not much of a home.

Halfway through the alley, he heard soft footsteps behind him. A man wasn't following him, and she wasn't the only one. Ichigo saw two women standing together, they were both dressed in t-shirts and shorts. They looked exactly the same and Ichigo had recognized one.

"Hibiki," he asked. "What are you doing?" He pulled the cigarette from his lips and eyed his waitress. _What the hell is going on?_ "Did you follow me from the restaurant?" If she did she would of had to been fast.

Hibiki, then, took a step forward and beneath the street light at the end of the street he could see she was sickly. Her face was burning red and she panted at great length. Her companion, who he assumed was a sister, looked exactly like Hibiki, was in a similar state. Ichigo flicked his cigarette to the ground, then made his way to the pair.

"Hibiki," he said as he got within arms distance. He noticed neither of them moved when he got closer but instead took sharper and more aggressive breaths. Still, he did not suspect anything. "Are you alright?" But he should have.

The next second Ichigo found himself falling. He never saw her move. The beer cans exploded, the suds gushed on to his clothes. She was fast. _What the hell is going on?_ When his back hit the cold cement, he prepared to fight back. He was going to push her off but stopped. He felt a pair of lips on his. They were soft and delicate, unsure and inexperienced, but they were aggressive. A tongue slipped through his lips and he could do nothing but open his mouth as well as his eyes. A pair of wings flew sprouted from behind the woman on top of him. They cackled like lightning. She trapped him beneath her kiss for a few more seconds but let him go.

"Ah," she sighed in a mixture of ecstasy and relief as their lips parted. Then the wings faded and Ichigo felt his heart beating through his skull.

When Hibiki pushed herself off of him, he tried to stand up. Again, he was pushed back down. This time it was by his waitress' doppelganger. She kissed him and, like Hibiki, lightning wings flew from her back.

Ichigo watched the woman push herself off of him and smile at him. He noticed she was not flushed anymore. Hibiki was the same. He watched them recite a chant but he did not hear them.

His mouth was left hanging and he had no idea what was going on. _What the hell just happened?_

 _'Ichigo,'_ a woman's voice whispered to him as he sat up. _'I think they're talking to you.'_

"Ashikabi-sama," they said as one. "Are you alright?"

Ichigo didn't know what that meant, all he knew was that his life just got a lot more complicated.

 _My name is Kurosaki Ichigo and I'm an Ashikabi._

 _Shit._

 _ **A/N:**_

 _ **That was chapter one of Sekirei Protector. I've wanted to put out my own rendition of a Bleach and Sekirei Crossover for a while now, and I've finally done it. I hope you've enjoyed what I've done so far.**_

 _ **Leave a review and tell me what you think.**_

 _ **The band referenced was Slipknot, a good old-fashioned metal band from Iowa. They're very popular in Japan. They seem to fit Ichigo's character.**_

 _ **I recommend Psychosocial, Surfacing, Opium of the People, and All Hope is Gone.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading. You have a good one.**_

Updated and Revised January 12, 2016

Updated and Revised July 9, 2016


	2. First Night

_**I own nothing and make no profit from this. Bleach, Sekirei, and any other licensed material belong to their respective owners. Please Support the official release.**_

 __ **While the material has been edited, this update contains a note in the Author's Note for the Readers.**

The minutes they spent walking back to his place were in total silence. Ichigo couldn't comprehend what had just happened. Two women kissed him and wings sprouted from their back. Actual wings. Though they weren't feathered wings, instead made of some sort of kinetic energy, they were still wings. This was like something from a manga. _What the hell even happened?_

Part of him felt like this whole scenario was from one of Keigo's hentais. A pair of identical twins, very attractive identical twin sisters, pouncing on him in the middle of a night in an alleyway, it sounded like beginning of a cliché porno. Well probably for most men. Not him. Ichigo had more control of his hormones than most people his own age.

 _But I get the feeling that it's not going to be that way for me._ He turned his head to ensure his two shadows were still behind him.

Hikari and Hibiki, the Sekirei, as they called themselves, were quiet as they trailed him. Not a word from them. Though he did not know them for long, Hibiki for only over an hour and Hikari for less than half that. A part of him felt that it was out of character for them to be so stiff. Nevertheless, he did nothing to stop it. Not until they got to where he was headed.

When the trio had arrived to his home, the gasps were loud enough to wake Soul Society.

"You live in this house," Hikari said in surprise. The former-substitute knew the difference between the two from their voice. While similar, Hibiki's was softer than her twin's. He turned to face her. "All by yourself." The difference in breast size also helped, though he would never admit it. The pervert label was something he wanted to avoid, at all costs.

Ichigo shrugged. "Yeah, I got it before I moved here. My uncle left it for me in his will." He gestured to the two-story building behind him. It may not have been much, to some, but it was grand to others. The house had everything a person needed, and more.

Two floors made up the building. The first floor had the kitchen and dinning room, along with a small library that was fully stocked with a collection of over six hundred and ninety works of literature. Ichigo spent most of his time in there, studying or reading, that he had a pull out couch put in. There was also a bathroom adjacent to that room, one of the three in the building.

The top floor had the bedrooms. There were three, a master bedroom and two guest bedrooms. The master bedroom had a king size bed with a memory foam mattress, along with other comfortable furnishings that made the room complete. That was where Ichigo slept, alone. The other two bedrooms were different. One of them had two twin beds, along with a single dresser dividing it in the middle. In other words, it was plain. It was also the room Keigo and Mizurio would use when they stayed over. That would make for an awkward conversation, if he decided to talk to them about his situation. That room also had its own bathroom. The last bedroom was for anyone else, if anyone ever came to visit. The walls were plain white, the floor empty and futons stacked in the closet. The room was just empty space.

There were three bathrooms on that floor as well: one in the hallway, another in the master bedroom, and the last one in the room Keigo and Mizurio used. The same one he hoped to have the twins stay in. Ichigo had the strongest of feelings he would not be able to just kick them on the streets. Call it paranoia but he felt like the twins would be by his side for life.

"Come on, I'll take you inside," Ichigo reached for the house keys in his jeans.

"How can you afford it," Hibiki asked him.

"I just said my uncle left it for me," he pushed the door open and led them inside.

 _"Uncle, Ichigo, really? Is that the best you can come up with?"_ The voice in his head scolded. Sometimes it was a pain to deal with her.

 _"Yes,"_ he replied. _"What else would I use?"_

 _"You've had four years to think of something, it's not my fault you haven't."_ Her laughter filled his head.

 _"Shut-up."_ He chose to ignore her, like he did with most of her teasing. When she got going, there was no stopping her.

Ichigo led the twins inside. He flicked on the light-switch and made his way to the kitchen. "Please," he began. "Tell me exactly what's going on here. For my sake, be thorough and specific."

A few steps inside, there was no reply. Ichigo turned around to see the twins standing still. Their gaze was focused on the inside of his home. It wasn't anything special.

Hikari had been staring at the large flat-screen on the wall and her twin transfixed with the furnishing. The choice of pearl couch and ebony lounge chairs were put in long before he even moved in.

"What," Ichigo said. They jumped at his words. "Its just furniture. Haven't you seen it before?"

"No," Hibiki began. "It's not that." She stood rigid. Her hand absently rubbed her arm. "It's just out apartment is small compared to… this... your home."

"You're living room is the size of the entire place," Hikari added. Her hands on her hips and kept her eyes trained on Ichigo. "This place is big."

He snorted. "Yeah." He went into the kitchen. He had the sudden urge to have something to drink. This whole scenario made him very thirsty.

In the cupboard above the refrigerator was a bottle of Rum. Ichigo couldn't remember the label but the taste wasn't half bad and it didn't burn going down, just the stomach. He fixed himself a half glass, mixing it with a bit of the leftover cola he had from his dinner the night before. The entire mixture was a seventy thirty split, in favor of the rum.

Ichigo could feel the gazes of the twins looking at him. "What," he began. "I lost my beer, all I had left was rum. I personally prefer the beer." He took a seat at the head of the table. The six pack from earlier was left in the alleyway they ambushed him in, all the cans had either exploded or leaked.

The twins followed suit, hesitantly, taking a seat at the opposite end of him. "What would you like to know, Ashikabi-sama?" They spoke in unison.

Ichigo took a sip of his beverage. The gut-wrenching feeling that he was going to need it had settled in, more than before at least. He knew he wasn't going to like the answers the girls gave him but he had to hear them anyway. He needed to know exactly what was going on.

"Tell me everything," was his reply.

They did.

"We're called Sekirei," Hikari started. "I'm Number Eleven, Hikari."

"I'm Number Twelve, Hibiki." Her sister continued. "We are apart of the Game." She said the word in reverence.

 _"What's this game, Ichigo?"_ The voice asked.

 _"If you listen, we'll find out."_

"The greatest game of them all." There was a silence.

"The Sekirei Plan," they shouted at once.

Ichigo almost dropped his drink.

The key word being almost.

Instead he only spilled some on his shirt. He said nothing and allowed the twins to continue. He needed to know, now, before he lost his patience.

"A game, where Sekirei fight beside their Ashikabi." Hibiki said. There was a fanfare to her voice.

"All one-hundred and eight, fight until only the last one stands." Hikari continued. "When the last Sekirei and Ashikabi stand, triumphant over all the others, it will be their great victory."

They practically jumped out of their seats, overlooking everything beneath them. "They will ascend to the heavens, and stand triumphantly, winning the Game and receiving the Prize."

 _Prize, what prize?_ Ichigo thought.

"What are you even talking about," he asked. "What prize?"

"I'm afraid," a voice cut in. "That's need to know information, Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo turned to the wall. There was a man on the screen. A middle-aged man with snow-white hair, similar to a captain he once knew. All the same, the man looked older, at least twice his age.

"You don't need to know." He also had his face on the news, almost constantly.

Minaka Hiroto, the Founder and CEO of M.B.I., the world's leading pharmaceutical, medical, and technological company. From nothing to everything, the man built the world's most successful business in modern history, so successful it would make John D. Rockefeller green with envy.

"At least until you win the game. If you win the game."

Ichigo watched as the man talked. There was just something about his personality that made him very familiar.

"Then," he continued, "You will ascend to the Heavens as the victor of the greatest game in all of history!"

A few seconds went by, the room dead quiet. It was bothersome. The man had that effect. During his press conferences, he had a habit of muting dozens of reporters at once. His presentation and delivery, despite issues of character, were second to none.

"Hello professor," two voices cut in. And the spell was over.

"Ah, Hikari-chan, Hibiki-chan," Minaka greeted. He knew the twins for some reason. "How are you enjoying having an Ashikabi?"

"Very much, professor," they echoed.

"It's nice here," Hikari said. She had a wide smile on her face. "Much better than our old apartment. Who'd of thought we'd score a rich guy?"

"Hai," Hibiki added. She looked down with a blush. "It's much better here."

 _Rich guy?_ Ichigo blinked. _Rich guy? What the hell is going on here exactly, it's like a fucking mad house._

"Hey, asshole," Ichigo interrupted. "What the hell are you doing on my TV?" He glared at the centerpiece of his living room, and became one himself.

The quiet was back, as three people stared at a seventy-inch plasma screen TV and the person inside stared back.

"That was rude," Minaka said. "What did I do to you?

The college student blinked. _What did he do? Is he seriously asking me that question?_

 _"Ichigo, calm down. You know what happens when you lose your focus."_ She whispered to him. _"Don't lose your focus."_

A few quick breathes.

 _In and out_ , the first one was slow.

 _In and out,_ the second was the same.

He didn't need a third one.

"You're on my TV," Ichigo spoke calmly. His temper kept in check. "You know these two girls, who are apparently something that isn't human and they're calling me their Ashikabi." He wasn't interrupted so he continued. "I don't know what that means but I have a feeling I'm not going to like it."

"What," the man on the screen shouted. He didn't share the same opinion. "Being an Ashikabi is the greatest thing that can happen to a person. The Heavens themselves are opened to you." The man didn't have even the faintest of clues as to what the heavens even were. What it was even like. "The opportunity of ascension, alongside your Sekirei, and have the opportunity to be together, forever." He was just a babbling idiot, Keigo hit the mark on his description of the man.

"I get the idea that Sekirei and Ashikabi are connected, but how?"

"We're bonded," Ichigo looked to see Hibiki talking to him. "Forever and ever," she whispered but loud enough to be heard.

"What does that mean, exactly?"

"To know that, Kurosaki-kun," Minaka interrupted. "You'll have to talk to them. I'm just here to tell you the rules."

The way he said it, made Ichigo hesitant. Something beneath his words, he couldn't make out what it was.

"The first being, you cannot leave the city." He smiled. "You have to stay in Shinto Teito until the end of the game or until you can no longer participate."

"No longer partici-"

"Interrupting someone when they're talking is rude, Kurosaki-kun." Minaka smiled. Ironic since he had just done the same thing moments before. "As I was saying, the second rule is that you have to participate in the Game. There are no exceptions."

"What if I don't want to?"

"You have no choice but if it becomes a problem, there are ways to make sure you do." The chairman certainly did remind Ichigo of a fox. "You don't want to know those ways." It was no wonder he couldn't stand him.

"What else," he could not help but snarl as he gripped his glass. "What are the other rules?" He could feel his front teeth grind atop one another, ready to crack.

"Just one," Minaka said. "If you tell anyone about the game, there will be consequences." His smile was like a snake's. "That includes your sisters, your father, and your friends." The glasses hid mischief. "Including, Asano-kun. I know about his internship, I've met him a few times. He's a bright kid. He's a bit loud, eccentric, eager, but bright." The illusion of a proud employer began to fade. "You know M.B.I. is full of so many types of dangers, it would be unfortunate if he suffered an accident."

That was it. Ichigo stood up. There was a shriek but he didn't know who it was. "Don't threaten my family, you bastard." He tightened his fists. "That includes my friends."

"But I'm not," Minaka smiled. It was like Ichimaru Gin, back when he first went to the Seireitei, right before he unleashed his Zanpakutō and severed the gate guard's arm. "I'm just telling you M.B.I. is a dangerous place." The fox had become a snake. "You might want to get your hand checked out, M.B.I. has the greatest medical team on the planet. It's free of charge for all Ashikabi, as part of the game. Well, remember the rules. You can't leave, you have to participate, and you can't tell anyone. And we will know if you break those rules, Kurosaki-kun. Ta-ta for now."

The screen went dark.

Ichigo looked at his reflection. He could see his old scowl again.

"Ashikabi-sama," two voices cried out.

A moment later Hikari was on his right and Hibiki on his left.

"Your hand," Hikari grabbed him by the arm. "You're bleeding."

Their Ashikabi looked down. She was right. He was bleeding. There was gash on his right palm, covered in glass and drink. He winced. He might need stiches. He hated stiches. They were a hassle to deal with.

"Damnit," now he could feel it. Oh did it hurt. Although he had worse, it still hurt. His palm throbbed as he tried to pick out the glass.

"Don't," Hibiki said. Her hand wrapped around his wrist. "You'll just make it worse."

"Yeah," Hikari agreed. "We need to clean it."

That was how Ichigo found himself in his bathroom, sitting on the rim of his bathtub, being tended to by his Sekirei. They pulled out the first-aid kit from under his sink and were using the tweezers to pick out the glass. Well only Hibiki was. Hikari was telling their Ashikabi about the plan.

Sekirei weren't humans. That much they could tell him. They were something else: stronger, faster, and smarter. In almost all aspects, they were better than humans. Some of them had great strength, and others had the ability to control elements. Hikari and Hibiki were element users. They could control lightning. It was why they called themselves the lightning twins.

All one hundred and eight Sekirei, once they reached maturity, were then let out into the city. Then, they were free to find their Ashikabi, their chosen one. In lack of better terms, their mate. And once they did, they were free to participate against each other for the grand prize.

"Then why were you working in a maid café," Ichigo asked. He watched as Hibiki was taking out the last of the glass from his hand. She had a steady way about her. He could see it. Her hands were so sure and accurate, better than his, and he used to help at his father's clinic. At first he had tried to protest to their nursing but they wouldn't hear it. So he relented for now. He was just relieved he didn't need stiches.

"We needed the money," Hikari muttered. She was pouring some alcohol on a piece of gauze. "And we don't really have any work experience or any references. You know…growing up in a secret facility and all."

"Yeah," her sister agreed. "It wasn't really hard. We were pretty enough," she pushed herself off her knees. "So it wasn't too difficult. It just made finding an Ashikabi harder."

"You wouldn't believe it." Hikari snorted. "So many scrawny and fat guys trying to smooth talk us, bleh." She took her sister's place in front of her Ashikabi. "They were lucky we didn't shock them." Her hazel eyes met his brown ones.

"This is going to hurt you know."

"Yeah," Ichigo said. _How many times have I said that to somebody?_ "I know. Just get it over with."

"Don't you want a towel or something to bite on," Hibiki suggested. She had just finished washing her hands. "It'll help."

He shook his head. "I've had worse."

The twins shared a look. "Okay," they said.

The alcohol burned. It burned like hell. Ichigo wanted to scream, but he kept his mouth shut. For a few seconds, he was in agony. Two pairs of Hazel eyes watched him. Sympathy was in each one.

"That's it," then Hikari removed the gauze and the pain followed in its wake in seconds. "All clean." Then, without saying a word, the twins exchanged bandages, and Hikari began to wrap it around Ichigo's hand.

"You look like you know what you're doing." He commented. They weren't amateurs by far.

"We learned from tuner," Hibiki said. She threw the used gauze in the trash bin.

Her twin nodded. "She was pretty strict in teaching us the basics."

When they didn't continue, Ichigo let it die. They would tell them when they were ready. There was no use in trying to get them to leave, something in his gut told him they wouldn't even if he tried. So why waste the time?

"Done," Hikari said. She'd finished wrapping up his hand, tightly he might add. "We'll have to change the bandage later, but at least you won't get an infection."

"Thanks," Ichigo said. He offered his hand to Hikari and pulled her up. She collided against his chest. He could feel her breath rise up, and brush up against his face. He looked down to see her crimson face. "Sorry."

She pushed herself off him. "It's fine, you're our Ashikabi now. It's fine." Hikari looked away from him.

"Yeah," Hibiki agreed. "It's fine now."

Ichigo nodded. "So, I got some guest rooms," he began. The idea of the twins sleeping in his bed was appealing. It really was. If he were another guy, he wouldn't have even hesitated to do something with them. He could see the way they eyed him. He wasn't his teenage self; he knew when a girl was attracted to him. He had help in learning and knew the signs.

The twins eyed him up like he was a piece of meat, and they were hungry lioness stalking their meal on the plains of Africa. "You can spend the night in one of the guest rooms, and use the shower. And…uh…just so you know, I don't have any spare clothes."

They looked disheartened at the idea. "I thought," Hibiki tapped her fingers nervously. "We could spend it with you, in you're room."

Crash.

 _Did a vase just shatter?_ Ichigo felt like his brain just shut off. _Or am I imagining things._

 _"Don't be such an idiot, Ichigo,"_ the voice said. He knew she was going to begin chiding him. She always did when it came to the opposite sex. She always claimed to be older and wiser. She was only half right. _"Say something."_

"I'm not sure…I'm not…um…" He was not functioning at the moment. Not in the slightest. Dealing with a pair of twins, identical twins, who were technically mated to him, was not ever in his list of expectations. "Um…um…not…sure that's appropriate." There was the tongue he was looking for.

He wanted to curse himself. So, he wasn't as adept as he thought he was. This wasn't a situation he was used to dealing with.

"Why not," Hikari whined. She actually wined. "It's not like we won't ever…you know…have sex."

"Yeah," Hibiki chimed in. "It's kinda implied." She smirked, a lecherous smirk, a smirk that no one would expect her to have. She seemed so innocent earlier. Her looks were deceptive.

That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Ichigo felt his brain was almost in full shutdown mode. "Ugh…ugh," he did the only sensible thing and walked out the door. Though, the conversation had yet to end.

After an hour of debate, Ichigo had conceded to their demands. He'd let them sleep with him, but the sex would have to wait. He was like a tomato, same as them, when he talked about it, but they agreed. At the same time, they had dinner. It was light, just some instant ramen along with ice-cold cola to wash it down.

They explained more about the plan to him. About how Sekirei face each other in duels, then the loser is taken away from their Ashikabi. Never to be reunited. He almost let go of his anger but decided against it. The forlorn look in their eyes kept him from being vocal on it. Their discussion on the concept was over, for the moment.

Ichigo didn't want to be apart of this plan, this game. The concept of people forced to fight for survival, love of all things, was the stupidest thing he had ever heard of. It was genocide for the sake of entertainment. He thought the world would have been past it by now, but it seemed he was wrong.

After their quick meal, they got ready for bed. Ichigo let them use the bathtub in his room. It was big enough to fit all three of them but he didn't feel like taking a soak that night. He took a shower in the hall bathroom instead.

 _"What do you think about all of this_ ," he asked his Zanpakutō.

 _"I don't know,"_ she replied. _"This is all so new, I don't remember anything like this when I was here before. M.B.I. was barely a start-up in those days."_

The wielder and blade had talked about those days before. When he was an experiment being monitored, and she was a pawn to her last master. Some of the situations she had explained to him were uneasy to grasp and more so to comprehend.

 _"It's hard to believe."_ Ichigo dried off his hair as he stepped into the hall. He'd changed out of his street clothes and opted for his blue pajama bottoms and an old t-shirt that he got from a concert he attend in the summer before the last. The word Disturbed was written atop a demon walking away from the fires of hell. _"It's such a big company now."_

 _"Yes,"_ she agreed. _"So, what about the girls?"_ She did nothing to hide her snickers. _"From what they told us, I'd think you're in for a few more houseguests. You're quite the charmer you know."_

 _"More of them,"_ he asked. That was the last thing he needed. There were so many variables in his life out of his control. He didn't need this to be one of them. _"I don't think so."_

 _"I don't know,"_ she snickered some more. _"I think you're quite the catch."_

Her wielder could only sigh. _"Of course, you would."_ He left his towel on his bedroom floor. He'd do laundry in the morning. _"What do you think of the bond?"_

She didn't reply.

 _"Kyōka, what do you think of the bond?"_

Still, she did not reply.

 _"Kyōka?"_ Sometimes she would go quiet and keep to herself. Her record was two months. She had the stubbornness of a bull and the resolve too.

 _"Kyōka?"_

 _"I don't know, Ichigo."_ Kyōka Suigetsu, the Bane of the Seireitei, answered her wielder. _"I honestly don't know. It's only been a few hours. I'll need more time to know if anything changes here."_

 _"My inner-world then. They could change it?"_ If that were the case, there was an endless list of possibilities both good and bad. The latter would need to be avoided at all costs.

 _"I don't know,"_ she sounded so unsure. It wasn't like her to be like that. She was the smartest of Zanpakutō in existence for a reason.Her uncertainty was more than a little unsettling. _"We'll just have to wait and see now, won't we?"_

Ichigo agreed, taking his place on his bed. _"We will."_ He closed his eyes for a moment. _"Let's hope Old Man Yama doesn't find out."_

The possibility of the Gotei Thirteen discovering this was next to nil, but still a possibility. A great risk. There was no telling what would happen to him, to the twins, their species, even his family, if they ever found out about this. It could mean a bad day for him but a great day for the Mad Man of the Twelfth Division.

 _"I'm not sure if we can stop them."_

 _"Please, don't kid yourself."_ Sarcasm dripped from her. _"They couldn't stop us if they sent in everyone, the hatted bastard included_." There was still tension there, for both of them. _"And you know it."_

 _"Yeah."_ Ichigo agreed. He knew his new lows outweighed his old strengths. The Hero of the Winter War was what they called him, he probably still has the title in Soul Society. _"But I don't want to fight them."_

 _"Don't be naïve,"_ Kyōka scolded. She repeated her words and lessons to him many times before and he knew there were many more to come. _"Remember what Zangetsu told you."_

He had recited and had been recited those words more than enough. _"You'll die if you hesitate."_

 _"Exactly,"_ she replied. _"Don't be an idiot, please, Ichigo. You can't afford to be, not before, not now and not ever."_

With that Kyōka retreated to her meadow.

Ichigo eyed his ceiling, for a few moments it was quiet. Except for the fidgeting he heard through the bathroom door, as the twins finished up their bath. He couldn't hold in the sigh. Out of everything that could have happened to him today, meeting alien twins that bonded to him through kissing and being forced into a Battle Royale because of them…was not on the list. And he had a pretty big list. The gates of hell opening up was a higher possibility than what actually happened. That was right below the Greek Pantheons joining him for afternoon tea.

Ichigo never heard the door open. He only heard their voices.

"Ashikabi-sama," the sound of two nervous, yet anxious sisters.

The man in question sat up, and it took all of his strength to keep his jaw from dropping. He swallowed. The symptoms of dry mouth started to set in.

Hikari and Hibiki were standing next to each other. Their long black hair, matted down with water, strands sticking loosely to their faces. Hikari was wearing an old torn blue shirt of his. He offered her another shirt, one that was less used, but she had refused outright. The cloth was missing right above her breast, where he could see a black bra, fight to give her modesty. The shirt hung to her figure nicely, covering her down to the top of her thighs. It allowed him ample view of her long, well-toned and shapely legs. Something he had a weakness for.

Hibiki was another matter. She had taken a red shirt from him, one that he was going to return since it was too small for him, and, of course, too small for her. The fabric ran down to the halfway mark of her belly button, leaving everything else beneath it exposed, including her red panties. He could see a white flower above her own.

"Ashikabi-sama," they repeated.

Ichigo swallowed nervously, "Huh."

"You're staring," Hikari smirked.

"See something you like," Hibiki added.

They were going to be the death of him. Ichigo didn't know how or why, but he knew these two would be the death of him.

"Well," they said. "What do you think?"

"Um…" he began. "Um…" Were they getting closer? They were getting closer.

 _Oh shit, they're getting closer. What do I do?_

They got on to the bed, Hibiki crawled to the spot on his right and Hikari went for his left. Slowly, very slowly, and very closely, slinking over him. He could feel her bosom brushing up against him, and her naked legs through his pants.

They took their spots. Hibiki rested her head on his shoulder. Her sister looked up at him from his breast, her hand absently caressing his abs.

"Um…" Ichigo was still lost. "You look nice." Those were the words he decided on.

"Just nice," Hibiki's hands began to trace his beard. There was the feeling of her fingertips caressing the naked skin too. They were soft and gentle. She continued across his face.

The same could not be said for her counter part. Hikari wasn't as gentle as her sister. She used her nails to dig in to his skin. There would be scratch marks in the morning. He was glad he didn't go to bed shirtless. "Isn't there any other word you would like to use?"

"Beautiful," he countered. The caresses stopped simultaneously. "You both look very beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen a woman leave me breathless like you two…and…and…" He paused. The twins stopped their strokes. "I think you're both really beautiful and I really don't know what else to say."

Hibiki buried her face into his shoulder. In the corner of his eye, he could see Hikari do the same on his torso. Their confidence seemed to disappear.

"Sorry," he said. He was unsure of the situation. This was all new to him, relatively speaking. "Um…"

They echoed in quiet. Again. Hesitance seemed to be a common theme that night.

A few minutes went by then Ichigo decided to ask them something that had been bothering him for part of the night. "Were you only attracted to me because you thought I had money?"

"No!" They answered quickly. It was a surprise. He had barely finished.

"We didn't wing ourselves to you because of money," Hibiki shouted in his ear.

"Yeah, you could be a good for nothing bum and we'd still be with you," Hikari added.

"Money has nothing to do with it." They screeched.

Ichigo stared directly at Hikari as she sat up. His ears were ringing. "It was just nice to see you were well off…that we…maybe, don't need to worry about money, as much, anymore."

"And it'd be nice to get out of our tiny apartment," Hibiki added. "It's really small."

He had barely known them for a few hours, and he believed them. "Okay," he said. "Okay."

For some reason, possibly impulse, Ichigo leaned down and kissed her on the crown of her head. He could taste his anti-dandruff shampoo. They'd have to get their own soaps, probably tomorrow. After they got what they needed from their former apartment.

"Hey," he heard a protest. "What about me?"

Ichigo leaned over and kissed Hibiki, though he kissed her on the cheek instead.

"That's not fair," Hikari piped up. "I want one too." He obliged her, then Hibiki and then Hikari again.

For the rest of the night, until they fell asleep, Ichigo kissed his Sekirei, for a reason he couldn't understand. He was always hesitant to affection, even with his exes. It was in part why they broke up. With these two, however, it was different. He didn't know why, but he was willing to find out.

They kissed, even when he turned out the lights, and their wings were all that illuminated the room. Only when they were tired and couldn't keep their eyes open, did they succumb to the sands of sleep.

II:

Hiroto Minaka was interested, really interested. Kurosaki Ichigo was an anomaly. Most people would see it as bad, but Minaka was not most people. He liked it when things were different. They captured his attention, and anything that caught his attention, made him obsessive.

"Karakura," he whispered. Overlooking Ichigo's public and academic records, he came across some interesting information. The first being he was from a city that disappeared, so the rumors say, for two days.

Government investigations turned up nothing. His private ones turned up nothing too. An entire city disappears, and nothing comes about it. He was disappointed to say the least. He put it aside, to keep his focus on his true goal. His great plan, his game.

It was why he personally interviewed one Asano Keigo for an open internship position in his research department. It was why Minaka always kept the boy around at all times, not because he was smart. He was, just not as much as him. But he did have potential. No, Minaka took the boy because he figured he could use him. His DNA showed he had the potential to be an Ashikabi. Not just any Ashikabi, his Ashikabi. The Ashikabi of the Disciplinary Squad.

His friend though, Kurosaki Ichigo, he was an enigma. His mother found dead on top of him at nine. He had a colorful history of violence growing up. Not to mention his constant disappearances and absences from school. Despite all of those things, he was smart, a genius in his own right. Smart enough to get a full ride scholarship at the local university. Well-off enough to own not only a house but rent an apartment on the side.

Oh, the questions about him kept piling up.

Minaka would see to it that he'd find the answers to those questions. He would. The resources he had at his disposal weren't just for show. He would find out everything about the boy. He would.

The CEO of M.B.I. stared at the photos on his desk. One in particular caught his eye.

"Urahara Shōten," he said to the air. The picture was of a teenaged Ichigo, talking to a pale haired man dressed in a bucket hat and a dark haori, with a cane in hand. They were photos from when the boy was sixteen. Next to it was a photo of the same man standing in front of the same candy shop. He didn't look one day older. Both images of him were identical. The second photo was from 1978. It was over forty years old. There were no alterations.

Minaka smiled, staring out of his office, gazing at the city's lights. His game had just gotten a lot more interesting.

 **AN:**

 **This is chapter two, with minor alterations. I know this isn't the type of update readers wanted but there is an important announcement to be made.**

 **After going over later chapters and my notes, I've scrapped what I had planned and decided to start fresh. Now, before the pitchforks and the torches and the angry mobs come after me, know that I made this decision over a month ago. Currently, I've outlined this story to chapter sixteen and am working on chapter three at the moment, which is halfway done as of this morning.**

 **Ichigo's Flock is still the same. I've only adjusted the chapters to ensure they have proper time and development with him. Remember, they were each selected because I felt they matched his personality the best.**

 **It stands as the following:**

 **010 Uzume**

 **011 Hikari**

 **012 Hibiki**

 **018 Ichiya**

 **022 Kochō**

 **057 Yahan**

 **And three more who have yet to be named.**

 **Also, Ichigo may appear OOC but this is due to time. No one remains the same forever. People get older and they change, sometimes for worse of for better. College Students, especially, fall under this category. He may be different, shyness is not what it used to be for him but he isn't some playboy. He still has his manners and his hesitation. He's also still the same fighter he was like in the Manga, just not the naïve teenager who'd have his arm cut off so he could fight Ulquiorra on an even level. Anyone other than me think that was stupid, or am I the only one?**

 **Keigo:**

 **Yes he is an Ashikabi. He has his own little 'flock' but I won't say who, how or why.**

 **Minato:**

 **Yes, he is still an Ashikabi. His 'flock' is still the same, save for a couple replacements and removals, who I will not name. Also, he is not the same person as the Manga. Expect him to be a bit more grown up. Kurosaki Ichigo for a friend can do that to a person.**

 **Powers:**

 **Ichigo is a hybrid. He's the result of a Quincy, infected by an abomination of a Hollow, and a Shinigami, a captain to boot. He has powers. They may not be the same as cannon, since he no longer has Zangetsu, but he still has powers. You'll see in later chapters.**

 **Friends/Family/Mentors/Soul Society:**

 **Can't say, just wait to see the role they'll play later. But it isn't the same as it was before. Time can heal wounds or make them worse.**

 **Feel free to leave your opinions in a PM or a review if you've never read this story. I make an effort to reply.**

 **Question: You are in the Zombie Apocalypse. You are no longer who you are but are instead a fictional character; they can be from either a comic, anime/manga, or a videogame. You also need a team. Your team is thirteen people. This is the roster.**

 **You the Leader:**

 **Medic:**

 **Sharpshooter:**

 **Guy who dies:**

 **Best Friend:**

 **Love Interest:**

 **Nutjob:**

 **Scrounger:**

 **Interrogator:**

 **Transporter:**

 **Knife Man:**

 **The Person with the Cure:**

 **Free Space:**

 **The Rules:**

 **No powers**

 **One person a universe, meaning only one from Batman, there can be multiple people from the comic book universe but one person from an individual title.**

 **The Person who Dies cannot be someone you dislike, must be a character you like.**

 **Thanks for reading. You have a good one.**

 **-Nikon Asturias**


	3. message to all it may concern

Good morning, afternoon, and evening to all who read this message, Nikon Asturias here with an update for you, the reader.

As you know, back in November my grandmother passed away. She was 90 and lived a full life but it didn't make it any less painful to watch her go. It was something I'll never forget and not a day goes by that I don't think of the woman who raised me. With that said, I took time away from everything to sort out my life and where I want to go in the future.

With that being said, I have been writing since the day she passed in order to keep my mind focused on anything else but that. Some days I got a few hundred words out, others I've gotten into the ten thousand range. It's helped me a lot since then.

But enough with the rambling. I have some good news and some not so good news concerning my stories.

 **Foolish Royale** : Fate Stay Night and Sekirei

This story has been a baby of mine for years. I've been working on it for around 4 years at this point. While it doesn't show online, if you saw my notebooks and drafts, that would be a different story. I've taken it in so many different directions that it isn't even a joke.

This story is not dead and is far from it. I just did a revamp on the current plot and am prepared to publish the first two chapters within the month. I just got distracted by some other stories at the moment that I'm working on, both fanfiction and original. So be on the lookout for it's republishing.

 **Sekirei Protector** : Bleach and Sekirei

Like above, this story is a baby of mine. It is far from being abandoned. I just had to take a step back from it in order to get it organized. Like Foolish Royale, it will be republished with its first two chapters as well.

 **Unforgiving Hero** : Star Wars and Justice League

Unlike my previous two, this story had been deleted. I just realized I had ruined a good story with some fanboy tendencies that have been abandoned in favor of making something with a good plot. This one is close to being republished and should see something out within two weeks at the latest.

 **The Protector's Wish** : Bleach and Fate Stay Night

Again, another story I've disappointed myself with. This was due to poor planning and even worse execution. I've gone through both fandoms and have decided on a more solid plot. All I can say for this story is that certain elements have been kept and others have been abandoned. Though, readers will need to wait for its republishing to see.

 **The Mightiest English Teacher** : Bleach and Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple

Again, this got completely revamped. Its first chapter is going through final edits at the moment.

 **Ardor and Blades** : Bleach

This one shot series and mini-arc series will be published soon. The first arc, Ichigo and Yoruichi, is still being polished as of now. The premise for this story follows Ichigo in Soul Society, born of Shiba Isshin and Yamamoto Masaki (the daughter of the Captain Commander), as he makes his way from childhood to manhood.

There's a poll for the second arc/one-shot on my profile now. Just select the one you want to see.

New Stories:

 **Man or Monster** : Tokyo Ghoul and Bleach Crossover

I've recently gotten into Tokyo Ghoul and I just got hooked on the series overnight. I read every single chapter for the first series in a day. Then read the sequel series the next. I gotta say, :re is not as good as the first one. I think it just went in a direction I just didn't like. But that's just me.

Back to what I wanted to say, I got to thinking and I brainstormed a plot line. What if it was Ichigo Kurosaki who became a ghoul and not Ken Kaneki? Now, this idea just wouldn't leave me alone. I could not get it out of my head, so I just grabbed a blank notebook and got to writing. Within a few days, I filled up over half the pages with notes for a plot and outlined several chapters before opting to use my computer (which I normally do to save paper). Now, this story isn't just an insert new character and follows the story in the same exact way. I've done my best to avoid that as much as possible, but some scenarios just can't be avoided, though I won't say which ones. This story isn't for the feint of heart, I'll be getting back in touch with my roots of writing horror stories with this one.

I used to be the kid in school who scared kids because I could come up with horror stories on the spot. Used to give my classmates nightmares with them. Good times.

 **The Exile** : Star Wars and Marvel

Sort of like Unforgiving Hero but a Marvel story. This one won't be following Revan but instead the Exile from KOTOR II. I can't indulge the world with a crude summary but I can say this, the Exile makes for a great **teacher**. Take that however you will.

 _I don't really have much more to say to you than this. But thank you, all of you for reading and following these stories. It means a lot that there's someone in the world who reads this. Thanks for reading this far, if you have any questions or comments, leave a review for this chapter or PM me, I'll respond._

 _Don't worry, I'll be taking this story down and replacing it with it's newest version later, to start fresh. Once again, thanks for reading and have a great day._

 _-Nikon Asturias_


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